Djibouti Election Sees Guelleh Poised for Sixth Term

Djibouti held its presidential election on Friday, with incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh widely expected to secure a sixth term and extend his 27-year rule over the strategically vital Horn of Africa nation.

Guelleh, 78, faced only one challenger, Mohamed Farah Samatar of the Unified Democratic Centre, a small opposition party with no parliamentary seats. Samatar, a former member of the ruling party, campaigned on promises to combat corruption, reduce government waste and increase social spending. More than 256,000 eligible voters participated in the ballot, which followed the dispatch of voting materials across the country on Thursday. Official results were not immediately available, but Guelleh's previous victories, including a 97 percent win in the 2021 election largely boycotted by opposition groups, underscored the limited competition.

The election proceeded amid accusations from human rights organizations that the government suppresses dissent and restricts press freedom. Djibouti ranks 168th out of 180 countries in the 2025 press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. Critics, including Omar Ali Ewado, head of the Djibouti League of Human Rights,...